Mending Forever
by Brie Jameson
Summary: Fate had brought them together. One choice tore them apart. Ten years later, Damon realizes that Elena has always been his forever. Now, the only thing he can do is mend her broken heart.
1. Reminisce

**Disclaimer: "The Vampire Diaries" and all of its characters belong to the CW Network and its producers.**

**Summary: Damon and Elena have been best friends since they were kids. As teenagers, they discover the passion that could be had in their childhood friendship. Soon, they begin a relationship that everyone believed was destined to last forever. It's only when high school graduation comes along that Damon decides to give Elena her wings. He packs his bags and disappears, leaving Elena heartbroken. Ten years later, Damon returns to Mystic Falls with the sole purpose to make amends with Elena. He finally realizes that Elena was his forever all along and wants her back. Little does Damon know that Elena has moved on and is about to get married. Damon is prepared to do anything to change her mind and make her his again.**

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><p><strong>Mending Forever<strong>

"_**Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." –Anais Nin**_

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><p><em><strong>Chapter One: Reminisce<strong>_

"_Come on, Damon! If you don't hurry up we're going to miss our chance at catching more tadpoles than Matt and Tyler." _

"_Okay, I'm hurrying! And there's no way those two dummies are going to catch more than us," Damon told Elena. _

"_Yes, there is. Tyler is so fast at catching them."_

"_Not faster than us, Elena. We're the best tadpole catchers around. Matt and Tyler are only good for falling into the creek. And that only scares the tadpoles away."_

_Elena giggled. "You're so funny, Damon." She grabbed for his hand and entwined their fingers. She began to pull him along. "Come on. We're almost there."_

_It happened then. When an eight year old Elena grabbed onto eight year old Damon's hand, he felt that undeniable spark._

Damon awoke from his dream. He slowly sat up in his bed and rubbed at his eyes. It was funny that his memories of Elena had returned the past three weeks. He had to admit that over the ten years he'd been gone he had always been reminded of Elena in some way. He had dreamed multiple times of his best childhood friend. But the dreams he'd been having lately were his greatest memories of her. That one in particular struck a chord within him to his very bone. He stared down at his hand. He could clearly remember the way her tiny hand had fit into his perfectly, as if destiny had predetermined it.

He looked over at the digital clock next to his bed. 6:27 AM. Damon swung his legs off the bed and sat on the edge. He might as well get up and take his shower. After all, it was only another thirty-three minutes till his alarm went off. One thing Damon was not was a morning person. He hated the mornings with a passion. Woes to him for picking a career where it was expected of him to keep a morning schedule. Of course then he could pick his own hours as soon as he got an assignment from his editor.

He was a reporter. Damon's lips quirked. Not just any reporter though. He was well known for writing pieces that challenged the way people looked at their world. He'd always wanted to make a difference, and with his reports he finally felt as if he was. He had received many fan letters that thanked him for always striving to change the way that his readers perceived things; to make them see that one idea could change the world; to allow them to believe that even one person could cause a revolution. He couldn't have asked for more.

But that was only his career. Yes, his career was important. But the journey he was about to embark on was all about sharing it. He wanted to share his life with the only person that had ever mattered to him. The thing was, for that to happen he had to make amends first.

Damon sighed while running a hand through his shaggy black hair. After ten years he wasn't so sure how Elena would react to his return. After all, he had disappeared, only leaving her a note to say goodbye. He had been too much of a coward to do it in person. The worst part of it was, he had blindsided her with it.

He closed his eyes and searched deep for the memory of those sparkling deep chocolate doe eyes as they had celebrated their graduation from Mystic Falls High School. She had ran up to him and jumped with all of her might into his arms. She had giggled. Damon smiled as he recalled her school girl giggle. It was so cute. And then she had pulled away to place a kiss on his lips. It was then that Damon frowned. That kiss had been the missing link to sealing the deal. When her lips had touched his he knew for a fact that the best thing for him to do was leave.

He hadn't kept in touch with anyone back in Mystic Falls. He spoke to his mother at least once a month, but they had a silent understanding that nothing was to be mentioned about anyone back home. Especially about Elena. Then again, Damon also knew that if something bad happened to her, his mother would alert him. Since she had never said Elena's name, Damon could only guess that no bad luck had ever come her way.

He was basically flying in blind. He'd come to the realization that he wanted Elena back a little over five months ago. Closing in on turning thirty could do that to someone. When he had come to terms with that, then he had planned a strategy to win her over. Back whenever they were teenagers, Elena had been a very stubborn and strong-willed person. Damon hoped that the years had changed that. Maybe she was a little calmer and laid back now. He snorted. Yeah, he could keep on hoping.

Damon knew it was a long shot to get Elena to forgive him, but he had to try. After ten years he finally came to the conclusion that Elena was his forever. He'd always known it, but he had buried it under his conscience that insisted that she get to know herself outside of their relationship. He had wanted her to spread her wings. She couldn't have done that hanging on to him. So, he had sacrificed his happiness. Yes, she had been heartbroken, but in the long run, she would understand that he had done it for her. It had been all for her.

Over the years he hadn't asked for information about her. As a reporter he had endless resources to find out anything he wanted to about Elena. But he had refused. He had kept himself shut out of her life. He had chosen to walk away, so he had no right to know anything about her. It had been difficult, but he'd done it for ten years. Even now after he made the plans to return to Mystic Falls, he didn't look her up. He wanted to be surprised with how she turned out.

Hell, she might not even be in Mystic Falls. Damon growled at the thought. But it would be his first stop. If she wasn't there, her family would know where he could find her. He had to start somewhere.

Until his flight left in four days time, Damon was only left with his memories of Elena. It would have to sustain him until he found her again. And then he could start working on getting her to forgive him. He would do anything to make her his again. Now all he had to do was get her to believe it. Hopefully, no obstacles would stand in the way.

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><p>Their mothers had been friends. Miranda Sommers and Sofia Conroy had met when they were eleven years old. Destiny had brought them together when Sofia, the new girl, had bumped into Miranda at lunch time. Both of their trays of food had splattered to the floor below. Most girls would've started yelling at the other saying, "It's all your fault! If you weren't so dumb, you would've seen where you going!" Instead, Miranda had bent down to help Sofia clean up the mess. From then on, the two had been inseparable.<p>

It was in high school when Miranda and Sofia had caught the eyes of future doctor, Grayson Gilbert, and future lawyer, Giuseppe Salvatore. Grayson and Miranda had married right out of high school, while Giuseppe and Sofia had opted to take it slow. They married as soon as Sofia had graduated with a degree in medical social work. It had been tough because Giuseppe was just then entering law school. It was during that time that Sofia had seen what stress could do to a relationship. There were many occurrences where Sofia had been ready to throw in the towel, but Miranda wouldn't let her. "You're not a quitter, Sofia. You never have been, and I'm not going to let you start now. You love Giuseppe and because of that you're going to work harder to make this work."

Sofia had been forever indebted to her best friend.

When Grayson was completing his residency at Richmond General Hospital, Miranda announced she was pregnant. Sofia had been over the moon for her. It was then that she pulled her close and let her in on her own secret that she was carrying. They had been so happy. They had stayed up half the night making plans for their children. They had daydreamed of the play dates that their two children would have. They would be best friends like they were.

That bond held true throughout Damon and Elena's lives. Pictures lined the Gilbert and Salvatore homes of the two of them together. Like Miranda and Sofia, they had been inseparable as well.


	2. Return

**Disclaimer: "The Vampire Diaries" and all of its characters belong to the CW Network and its producers.**

**Thank you for all of the reviews! It puts quite a calming effect on you when you know people appreciate the things you do. Thank you for accepting me into the TVD circle. **

**And Erin Salvatore, thank you for your wisdom. You've helped me work my way through this maze!**

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><p><strong>Mending Forever<strong>

"_**Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose." –from the TV series, 'The Wonder Years'**_

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><p><em><strong>Chapter Two: Return<strong>_

It was something like déjà vu. Damon knew he'd been in Mystic Falls before. After all, he'd grown up here. But it was as if his subconscious was telling him, "No, you haven't really been here. You've only seen this in your dreams." He shook his head. It'd been ten years since he had drove through the streets of his childhood home. Ten years had passed since he'd seen the square. Damon chuckled. 'No, it can't be,' he thought. But it was. The Mystic Grill still stood. He could remember the hours he had spent there. The hours he had spent there with Elena.

My God, was there anything that didn't remind him of Elena? Damon knew it was a pointless question. His entire life had revolved around Elena in some form or fashion. They had done everything together. Why wouldn't everything make him recall a memory of her?

He hadn't called his mother before he had left New York City. Damon knew she would make a big deal out of his coming back home. She would ask him a lot of questions that he wasn't so sure he was ready to answer. Besides, he'd rather give those answers in person. Then again, Damon also acknowledged that Sofia Salvatore would be highly pissed that her only child had been gone for so long.

He really couldn't blame her. Growing up, he'd had a very close relationship with his mother. After all, getting close to Giuseppe Salvatore was nearly impossible. The man was unmovable in the emotion department. The man played indifferent better than anyone Damon knew. He had always wondered why that was. His mother had told him countless times of their love story; how his father had swept her off her feet. Damon often speculated about what had happened to that romantic man. He could only guess that life had gotten in the way.

He'd never gotten the courage to ask his father either. Giuseppe Salvatore died at the age of forty-eight from a heart attack. Damon had only been seventeen. He hadn't yet graduated high school when his mother had shown up after math class to tell him the news. He'd been in such shock that it took him days to react. When he had finally reacted to it, tears had come pouring out with a vengeance. He was so angry with his father for never taking the time to get to know him. Because of that, he'd never known him either. Giuseppe had robbed him of those chances.

Damon remembered who had discovered him in the corner of his bedroom. He could clearly summon up those doe eyes that could steal your breath with a single look. Elena had bent down to his level and ran her hand through his hair. It was then that Damon had let go of the solitary feelings that his father had evoked, and let Elena in. Something had happened that night, and it wasn't until years later that Damon finally understood just what that thing was. He had always loved her. But there, in that moment, he had fallen _in love_ with her.

He returned to reality when he noticed that he was close to the Salvatore boarding house. He turned down the drive and held his breath till the house came into view. It had that effect on people. It was so massive in size. From the outside it could almost look like a mausoleum. But inside, it was home. His mother had made it home. Giuseppe could've cared less how it looked. Actually, Damon thought if his father could've had his way, the boarding house would have probably resembled a hospital. Cold and sterile.

As he parked his rental car next to the garage, he couldn't help but to imagine how this reunion with his mother would go. She had begged him to return home. He couldn't have. But, oh, how he'd wanted to. Ten years later he couldn't help but feel the pull of guilt.

He climbed out of the car and began walking towards the front door. Damon couldn't believe that he was finally home. He took a calming breath. He stared at the enormous wooden door in front of him. He remembered looking upon this door when he was a boy. He always thought it looked so ominous, as if a monster lived on the other side of the door. His lips smirked. Well, Giuseppe Salvatore could have been considered a monster.

Damon didn't bother knocking. He just walked in like he'd done all his life. He grinned stepping through the foyer. Nothing had changed. His mother hadn't moved a thing. There were still bits of history on the wall that had been passed on through the generations of Salvatores. Portraits and paintings, priceless bits of furniture. He peeked into the one of the many sitting rooms. The library had grown. There were more books that lined the walls. That didn't surprise Damon any. His mother had always loved to read. Something he had in common with her.

Damon frowned as he went further into the house. There was no sign of his mother. Her car was out in the driveway so she had to be here. He smiled rather big once he realized there was only one room left in the house that she could be in. And it was her favorite.

He glanced around the corner to see his mom stirring something in a bowl. It was probably one of her famous desserts. Please let it be her lemon cookies. Damon could die happily if he just had one last lemon cookie. Nothing was better than those cookies.

Damon braced himself for seeing his mother again for the first time in ten years. He knocked on the door facing. Sofia Salvatore quickly turned around to greet her guest.

The years had been good to her. It was as if his mother hadn't aged a bit. She should be closing in on sixty now, and she didn't look a day over forty. There were no streaks of gray in her hair. From this distance there weren't any wrinkles either besides the ones near her mouth and her eyes. Her laughing lines. Sofia did love to laugh.

Tears came to his eyes. His mother was so beautiful. But she was more beautiful on the inside. Her personality made her a good person, but it was her patience and generosity that had made her a perfect mother.

"Mom," he whispered reverently.

"Damon?" He heard the catch in her voice. He watched as she dropped the spoon she had been using to stir the mixture with. It fell to the floor with a clatter. "Damon!"

He met her halfway and caught her into a hug. She was so small compared to him. When he had left he'd been eighteen. She'd been petite then. But the years had been good to him too. His muscles had bulked up and he might've gotten a little taller.

Sofia pulled away to look at her only son, her only child. "Oh, you're so handsome," she said cupping his face in her hands.

"That's because I've always looked like you, Mom," Damon told her.

"Only in the eyes. Everything else is your father. This is why you're handsome. You're a perfect mixture of both of us." She smiled at him. "It has taken you ten years to come back."

His eyes shuttered. "I'm sorry, Mom."

"Me too," Sofia replied patting one cheek. "But I understood. It's what you wanted and I think it's what you've needed all this time. Why have you come back now?"

She was the only other person he could talk to about anything besides his Elena. "I left something here a long time ago. I've come to get it back."

Sofia pulled completely away from her son. When she had seen Damon in her kitchen for the first time in ten years the hole that had taken up residence in her heart had filled up again. But with his answer, her heart broke all over again. Her son had no idea the hell he would go through now.


	3. Tragedy

**Disclaimer: "The Vampire Diaries" and all of its characters belong to the CW Network and its producers.**

**This chapter is longer than I anticipated. The first two were more filler chapters. They were there to set the story and setting. So, enjoy this one! Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews!**

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><p><strong>Mending Forever<strong>

"_**It's one of the great tragedies of life—something always changes." –Robert Louis Stevenson**_

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><p><em><strong>Chapter Three: Tragedy<strong>_

Sofia quickly made herself busy by making a cup of tea for her son. Behind his back she gave him a bit of liquid courage by pouring a generous amount of whiskey into it. After all, once they got to talking about how things operated around here now, she had a feeling that Damon was going to turn around and grab for the whole bottle. If he was anything like his father, that is. That was how Giuseppe was, Sofia remembered. If he heard bad news he immediately poured himself a stiff drink. Not that Giuseppe had been an alcoholic.

She looked at her son as she was bringing the tea back. He was a grown man now. And she had missed watching him mature. His hair was a little longer than usual. Still wavy as it had been ten years ago, and black as the darkest night. Like her own. And his eyes. Those crystal blue eyes held so many secrets. Secrets that she had no part in. Along with the secrets there was pain and remorse. Her boy hadn't yet reached thirty, but if you looked into his eyes you'd think he was a wise old man.

Life had not been fair to her son. However, some of it was self-inflicted. Like the explanation for him returning. He would've never known that pain had he only been more comfortable in his skin. She could only hope that had changed.

"I've read most of your articles over the years, Damon. What happened to my son's optimism?" Sofia asked.

"The real world happened, Mom. I learned that the cards aren't always dealt with you in mind. Especially not with your needs and sometimes not with your wants."

"Well, that's cynical."

Damon shrugged. "What do you want me to say? That life is the most spectacular thing ever, because it isn't."

"You know, during our phone conversations the last ten years, you never let on that you were such a negative person. But I guess when you hate yourself for a choice you made a long time ago you're bound to feel a little bitter over it," Sofia commented with a knowing glint in her eyes.

She had to give her son props. He didn't even flinch.

"I don't hate myself," he said.

"Yes, you do, son. Or you wouldn't be here after all this time. If you didn't think you made the wrong decision you would still be in New York."

Damon took a large gulp of his tea. He knew his mother had spiked it. He could taste the bite. If she wanted to play hard ball, then fine. He'd play.

"I came back because I was an idiot ten years ago. I've come to make amends for it. Hopefully they will forgive me for my mistake. If not then I guess I will have to live with it."

Sofia nodded. "I know why you're here, Damon. And I must say that I'm so glad that I raised an upstanding man. But I don't know how this journey is going to end for you. After all, ten years is a long time. A lot can change," she explained.

"I know that, Mom. I mean, look at me. I've changed, so I don't expect anything to stay the same," Damon said.

"That's good because nothing has."

Damon stared at his mother. This was the part that had terrified him. His mom would now regale the tales of everything that had happened in Mystic Falls while he'd been off gallivanting around. He could only hope that nothing too bad had taken place. If it had, how would he be able to forgive himself? How would he expect Elena to?

"So, what exactly has changed?" he heard himself asking.

And this was the part she dreaded.

Sofia made her way over to sit by him on the plush leather couch. She took one of his hands into her own and studied it. He had his father's hands. So strong and capable. She had missed him so much. She had her little boy back. But for how long after he heard the heart wrenching truth?

"I never blamed you for leaving, sweetie. I already told you that I understood why you did it. You had always had dreams of travelling and becoming the most sought after field reporter. You wanted to make a difference, and I was so proud of you for having those aspirations. You wanted to become something bigger than yourself. And because of that I think I did a good job of raising you."

"You did, Mom. You were the greatest mom in the world," Damon cut in.

She smiled as tears came to her eyes. It was nice to be appreciated. "When you left, my heart broke. Not only for myself, but for you too. After all, even though you were following your dreams, you were also leaving a part of yourself behind."

As Sofia watched her son struggling to swallow the truth, she also came to terms with the fact that her son's heart was about of break all over again.

"Elena never forgave you for what you did," Sofia gently whispered. "She loved you and you left her. That's all she could see. What was even worse is that you left without explaining why. That was the one time in your entire life that I was ever disappointed in you."

Damon's tearful blue eyes met her own. There it was. The heartbreak. His eyes always told her what was going on with him. They were certainly the windows into his soul. These eyes now told her a story of shame and sorrow. Sofia could only wonder why they held so much guilt. What secret was her son carrying around with him?

"What made you leave? And don't lie to me, Damon."

Damon didn't know how to answer. All those years ago he thought that leaving had been the right decision. He hadn't wanted Elena to be stuck with him and regret it later. He had been the only man she had known. He had wanted her to experience the world. For ten years he had lived with the fact that he had sacrificed his happiness so that she would have a chance to see things from a different perspective. She needed to do things on her own. It all sounded so good in his head. It had made sense ten years ago. But now the longer he thought on it he knew his mother wouldn't agree.

"I wanted her to have a life for herself that didn't include me. I wanted her to have more experiences, ones that I couldn't give her. If I stuck around she would have forgotten about her dreams. She was so focused on me, Mom. She was only concerned about making sure I got what I desired. She never thought about herself. I had to do something," Damon explained now pacing the floor.

"Was it about Elena or yourself?" Sofia asked studying her son.

"What are you talking about?" Damon questioned, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Did you want Elena to experience more? Or did you want to experience more without her? You and Elena had always been connected at the hip. Anything she went through, so did you, and vice-versa. Tell me, son. Was this about you or her?"

Damon scoffed. He figured his mom would be the one person who would believe him. "I sacrificed everything so that she could have the things she wanted. If I would have stayed she would have followed me to the ends of the world. She would have forgotten herself. God," he growled thumping his fist upon a table beside him. "Do you think I've enjoyed myself the last ten years, Mom? I wanted to share every aspect of my life with Elena. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her." He took a deep breath. "I left for her!"

"Yeah, and what good it did!" Sofia exclaimed. She immediately regretted her outburst. Now her son was staring with that deadly glint in his eyes. 'God, he looks just like Giuseppe right now,' she thought.

"What are you talking about?" Damon asked.

Sofia sighed. "Sit down, Damon."

She got up to pour both of them a glass of brandy. She was not looking forward to doing this. But she would not let her son go in blind. She took his glass to him. He gulped it down.

"What are you talking about, Mother? Tell me."

"I'll tell you everything," she sighed, "but first I'll start simple." Sofia took a tiny sip of her drink. "Stefan married Caroline and they have two children."

"Stefan? As in Matt Donovan's older brother?" He watched his mother's head nod. "He married Barbie? Wow."

"And don't call her Barbie. She hates it."

"I know," he laughed. "I was the one that began calling her that back in fourth grade."

"I know that, Damon. I was never really happy with you after I heard about it from Liz."

"If I remember correctly, you told Dad that you found it amusing because Caroline and her mom were snobs," Damon grinned.

"Liz used to make fun of me and Miranda all the time. She was a snob."

"And Caroline made fun of Elena. Until seventh grade and they miraculously became friends. I'm still trying to figure that one out." He shook his head. "Hey, how are Miranda and Grayson?"

Damon watched his mother immediately shut down. "Mom? He placed a hand upon her shoulder. She was stone cold. "Mom, are you alright?"

His mother's bright blue eyes, so like his own, looked at him. "Why didn't you pick up your phone?" she asked.

Damon was perplexed. "What do you mean?"

"All of us tried to call you after it happened."

"After what happened?" She was scaring him. And just like that she snapped out of it. Damon observed the fury outlining her features.

"We called to tell you about the accident, but you never answered. We left you voicemails and you didn't call back."

"Accident? Did something happen to Elena, Mom?" he demanded to know.

"Yes, something happened to her! She lost her parents! Grayson and Miranda died in a car accident after they drove Elena to college. They had just dropped her off and helped move her stuff into her dorm earlier that day. On the way back to Mystic Falls it started to rain. A tractor trailer lost control and hit them head on."

It was as if he were in a daze now. He had really stopped listening after his mother announced that Grayson and Miranda were dead. But he heard the rest. He was allowing it to sink in. Poor Elena. Her parents had been the greatest people in the world. She and Miranda had been close, thick as thieves. What had Elena done to deserve such an outcome?

"And Elena?" He had to know. He had to know what had happened to his sweet, beautiful Elena after such a blow.

"She forgot about college. She moved her things back home, made the funeral arrangements, and took care of Jeremy. What else was she supposed to do?"

Damon was so angry. Life had delivered Elena such a cruel fate, and she had simply accepted it. He needed to know more. "What about Jenna or John? Why couldn't they have become guardians of Jeremy instead of making an eighteen year old girl do it?"

"Elena didn't want them to. She thought Jeremy deserved normal. She didn't want anyone coming into their home and changing things," Sofia answered.

"Her parents dying had already changed things!" Damon shouted throwing his hands up in the air. "What was so wrong with accepting help so that she could continue to live her life?"

"She did not want to live her life!" Sofia yelled back standing up from her seat. "She wanted to take care of her sixteen year old brother! She didn't want any help. That was her choice, and we were not going to push her."

"I would have!" Damon snarled.

"Well, you weren't here, were you?" Sofia decided enough was enough. Elena had dealt with the anguish of Damon's departure. She had watched that young girl struggle to survive after losing her first love who was also her best friend. Yes, she understood her son's decision, but that didn't mean that she couldn't defend Elena in the process.

"You were gone because you chose to leave Elena so that she could have a life apart from you," she continued. "You're pissed because you find out ten years later that she didn't have a life anyway. She cried for you. She begged me to tell her where you were and I couldn't answer because I didn't know. You chose not to tell me anything which I know why. You didn't want to run the risk that I would tell her. I guess you didn't want me in the middle."

"I didn't want you to have to choose between me and Elena," he told her.

"Well, I couldn't. I wouldn't have anyway. You're my son. If you wanted to stay gone that was your right. I wasn't going to stop you. But you should have picked up your phone. I needed you. I had just lost my best friend. And your best friend had just lost her mother," Sofia told him.

"Who tried to call?" Damon asked.

"The first person who tried to call was Alaric. It would have been me if I hadn't been so steeped in grief. I just cried that first day," Sofia said, her voice breaking.

"I'm so sorry, Mom," Damon told her grabbing for her hand and squeezing it. "I'm so sorry that I wasn't here when you needed me most."

"Water under the bridge, son," she grinned. "I know you're sorry and it's okay." Sofia sighed. "I called the next day. Bonnie and Jeremy tried too."

"And Elena?" he choked out. He could barely say her name now.

Sofia shook her head. "She never did. She was mad at everyone else for calling you."

"Why?" Tears spilled from Damon's eyes.

"You had left," she shrugged. "She was still angry and hurt by it. I think it's because she didn't want that to be the reason that you came back. She didn't want you to pity her for her parents' death," Sofia answered. "She said that she never wanted to see you again."

That statement shattered Damon's heart into a thousand pieces. How could he have been so selfish to leave her? Elena had begun to put a life together without him and then fate had snatched it all away.

He knew why he hadn't picked up his phone nor listened to his voicemails. He hadn't wanted anyone to beg him to come back. He'd made a clean break and lived with it. Years later, the guilt begins to eat him alive because his mother and Elena had needed him, and he'd basically spit in their face. Especially Elena.

Oh, God, what had he done?

"And that isn't all, Damon. And I am so sorry I have to be the one to tell you this, sweetheart." Sofia gripped his hand as hard as she could. Maybe her precious son could draw strength from her once she dropped the bombshell.

"Elena finally moved on." She took a deep breath and watched the fear come into her son's eyes. "She's getting married in four weeks."


	4. Void

**Disclaimer: "The Vampire Diaries" and all of its characters belong to the CW Network and its producers.**

**I'm sorry that it took me so long to write this next chapter. My hours at work got boosted up since we lost one of our co-workers due to maternity leave. And of course my son takes most of my time too. Thank you for being so patient with me, and thank you for reading my story.**

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><p><strong>Mending Forever<strong>

"_**A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams." –John Barrymore **_

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><p><em><strong>Chapter Four: Void<strong>_

Elena was getting married. It was like some bad horror story. Damon couldn't wrap his head around it. Ten years later he finally comes to his senses and decides to come back to sweep Elena off her feet just to find out that someone had already beat him to the punch. Some other guy had snatched her up. Another man had recognized the treasure that was Elena Gilbert. Oh, it hurt so much.

Damon held his chest where his heart lay in tatters beneath. Agonizing pains left him paralyzed. It was his own fault. Why had he waited so long to return? Or better yet, why had he left ten years ago? He had thought he was being noble so that Elena could spread her wings. But really he had just been stupid for not realizing the truth sooner. And the truth was that Elena is it for him. She's the epitome of every one of his dreams.

His heart came to a shuddering stop. It was crippling to realize that the dreams he'd had, the plans he had made were now null and void. Now those dreams belonged to someone else. The story book fantasy of him and Elena cooking dinner together was gone. They'd always enjoyed making a meal with one another. The two children he'd envisioned, a mischievous little boy that looked like him and a girl that could get away with anything because she was the spitting image of her mother, had dissipated. It could no longer be possible. Damn the man who got those dreams now.

Damon didn't even have the courage to ask his mom who the lucky son of a bitch was. He didn't want to know. If he had the information he might go kill him. All he desired was the knowledge of whether or not the guy was good to her. Elena deserved nothing but the best. But he hadn't asked that either. The only thing he'd been able to do when those horrible words left his mother was walk away. The knowledge that his woman belonged to another man had slammed into his gut and had stolen his breath. He had waited too long. He'd really fucked up this time. He lost everything that had ever truly mattered to him.

* * *

><p>Sofia watched her son throw a glass of brandy into the fireplace from afar. The glass shattered just like his heart had. Her son was struggling to come to grips with the way things had turned out. It had hurt her to be the one to tell him. She had seen the light go out of his eyes. It was at that exact moment that her precious little boy had died inside.<p>

It was a mother's compassion that drove Sofia to empathize with Damon, and she could feel the waves of anguish and frustration rolling off of him. It broke her heart to know that her son was hurting so much.

Why had he waited so long to return? That's what she couldn't grasp. She had understood when he had left. Yes, the only contact they'd had was over the phone and email, but she had been comforted by the fact that her son was successful in his profession. He had gone on to do bigger and better things, so she'd been okay.

However, after six or seven years had passed she had begun to wonder if he'd ever return. He had left so much behind. He had left Elena unanswered.

Sofia had watched Elena struggle too over the years. That girl had struggled to function after Damon had disappeared, and it had only gotten worse after Grayson and Miranda were killed. The only thing that had kept her moving, that had kept her sane was having to take care of Jeremy. Sofia had tried to help as much as she could, but Elena had been determined to do it on her own. She had only been eighteen at the time, a baby herself. Elena had put her life on hold so that Jeremy could have one. So that he wouldn't feel the sting of abandonment again. She didn't want to ditch him simply for her desires.

Elena had gotten rip-roaring drunk one night and came by the Salvatore boarding house to confess all. She had such beautiful aspirations, Sofia recalled. But she had delayed going to college until Jeremy went himself, and even then she had only went to the community college fifteen minutes away. She had become a kindergarten teacher when she really wanted to be a professor of American and British literature and teach at an Ivy League university. But she had compensated. She had simply taken what she could get on a short term education. It made Sofia see red anytime she thought about it. Elena had such potential and because of one moment in time it had all changed. Her circumstances had changed, which had made life totally unfair for Elena. She had been cheated.

She had needed Damon so much. Elena had never said such words. Nevertheless, Sofia had caught her more than enough times sneaking into Damon's bedroom those first two years he'd been gone. She knew that Elena missed him. Even more so after her parents died.

Why hadn't Damon picked up his phone all those years ago? If he has looking for absolution from Elena it just wasn't going to happen overnight. Elena had been so angry to the point that Sofia finally had to move Damon's pictures and accomplishments into one room. If Elena visited, which was at least once a week, then Damon existed only in the den. And Elena never went in the den. She had stopped going into his bedroom eight years ago. In all appearances Elena had finally gotten over Damon. But Sofia knew better. Elena had never forgotten about Damon, just like Damon had never forgotten about her. She knew it'd be a matter of time before one of them acknowledged it. Miraculously, it had been her son to take that first step. She could hardly believe it.

Nevertheless, Sofia focused on her son again. He was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. It seemed as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders and he could drop it any minute. After all these years Sofia could finally see the man that he had turned into.

"_Are you scared, Miranda?"_

_Sofia looked at her best friend. Miranda Gilbert was so beautiful. Back in high school Sofia had been a little envious of her. Everyone loved Miranda. She was captain of the cheerleading squad and editor-in-chief of the school paper. She had ran for president their senior year and had won by a landslide. Miranda was outgoing. Sofia was shy. However, when Sofia was around her best friend she turned into a different person altogether. She became someone. _

_Miranda was even more stunning pregnant. She literally glowed from the inside out, while Sofia felt frumpy and undesirable. She could only thank her lucky stars that her due date was three weeks away. _

"_Scared of what, Sof?" Miranda asked. _

_Sofia rubbed her pregnant belly trying to calm her son down. He was such an active little thing. "Scared of being a mom?" _

_Miranda grinned. "I think it'll be a grand adventure. I'll get to watch her grow up. I'll get to watch her see the world for the first time. That in itself is a gift." Suddenly her face frowned. "But then again, I am terrified." _

"_Why are you terrified?" Sofia questioned her. She'd never known Miranda to be terrified of anything. _

"_I'll have this little person depending on me for everything. She'll look to me to give her all of the answers and I'm afraid I won't have them." Miranda looked down at her own pregnant belly. She was just now starting to show. _

"_I'm afraid I won't be a good mom," Sofia admitted. _

_Miranda was startled. She'd never heard her friend speak so candid. "What are you talking about? You'll be the greatest mom ever, Sofia."_

"_How? I mean, I could mess this up and my son will pay the price. What will I do then, Miranda?" _

"_You're the most amazing friend anyone could ever have. I am so lucky to have you as mine. You help me through every crisis. You make me laugh even when I believe there's nothing to laugh about," Miranda chuckled. "But most importantly, you love no matter no matter the mistakes that I make. That's unconditional love. Do all of those things for your child that you do for me and you'll be the perfect mom."_

_Sofia couldn't hold the tears back anymore. She grabbed her best friend in the biggest hug she could manage with her gigantic belly in front of her. She felt her son kick, but she also felt a slight fluttering against her that she knew didn't belong to her child. _

_Miranda pulled away from her. With a sparkling smile she said, "I think both of our children just agreed with me."_

"_Let's just hope they agree on lots of things. We don't want our children to fight all of the time and eventually hate each other," Sofia joked. _

_Miranda shook her head. "They're not going to. They're going to be the best of friends." She took Sofia's hand in hers. "Like us."_

Sofia had stepped away from the doorway of the library once that memory came to the front of her mind. Tears were falling down her cheeks at a fast rate. That particular memory was one of her favorites. Miranda had always been good at putting things in perspective for her. But she had been right. She had given Damon all of her love unconditionally. She had led him into manhood with an iron fist and a gentle heart. Patience was thrown in there somewhere too. Looking at her son now Sofia realized that she'd done right by him. He was a good man, and Sofia could only be grateful.

The only thing she wished for now was the strength to help Damon through the days that were coming. They were probably going to be some of his darkest and Sofia couldn't help but feel apprehensive about it. Elena was getting married and Sofia was helping her plan the wedding. That was one detail she had left out. She wondered how Damon would react once he heard the news. 'Sofia, you're kidding yourself if you think he'll be calm about it,' she thought to herself. Best case scenario he would turn whiny and depressing. Worst case scenario he would turn livid and violent. He had his father's temperament after all.

She peeked around the corner one last time. Her son would be okay for right now. He just had to accept the changes that had taken place.

But until then, she had some place to be.


End file.
